We’ve made the business case for including audio narrations of written content, and in this blog post we’re going to share how audio impacts accessibility. We’re not just talking about accessibility to content on different media channels and devices, but specifically accessibility to those with visual impairments, literacy challenges, new language learners, and auditory learners.
When we first launched the Ad Auris product, some of the early positive feedback was from avid media consumers who found it difficult to continue reading as their eyesight changed due to ageing. While we knew that having audio options for published content was convenient for users, we underestimated just how many people have visual impairments that make reading difficult. A 2016 NIH study estimated that visual impairment and blindness cases could double by 2050. While a majority of visual impairments are correctable, there remains a sizable portion of the population whose vision is not correctable.
With ageing populations around the world, many users appreciate being able to continue with their media-consumption habits by consuming content in audio format.
Ad Auris is headquartered in Canada, a country known for its multiculturalism, with more than 20 percent of the country’s population being foreign-born. Learning a new language can be daunting and overwhelming, and everyone learns and comprehends learning a new language differently. For new language learners, offering audio narrations of written content helps build language fluency. One of the features of our narration tool is being able to play the audio narration at a slower or faster rate. For new language learners, being able to listen at a slower rate can be a game-changer for comprehension.
We are seeing tremendous demand for audio narrations of written content in countries or regions that have a low literacy rate. For smaller publications that care about audience accessibility, incorporating audio narrations has had an enormous and positive impact. There are a number of media outlets in Central and South America that have hotlines for people to call into so someone can read the news to them. The Ad Auris tool has allowed these publications to unlock much more of their written content, giving users access to a greater variety of content that can now be consumed at their convenience.
Some people are better auditory learners than visual learners. How you process and retain information can have a huge impact on school, work, and life. Nowadays, there is more awareness around the different types of learners, and more accommodations are made for the different learning types.
When it comes to media consumption, historically it has been the visual learners who have benefitted, especially for printed content. Audio narrations can drive growth for publications by delivering content in more ways than one.
There is no better time to include audio narrations of your published content. The hurdles to adding audio are gone. It’s affordable, scalable, customizable, and seamless.
